Joint Benefice of St. John the Baptist, Stanton St. John St. Nicolas, Forest Hill with Shotover The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Beckley St. Barnabas, Horton-cum-Studley
STANTON CHURCH BECKLEY CHURCH
FOREST HILL CHURCH HORTON CHURCH
Four Churches at the heart of the community Benefice Profile Our Churches, Our Community, Our vision
1 Table of Contents Welcome to the Benefice ...... 3 Statement from the Archdeacon of Dorchester ...... 3 Introduction from the Area Dean and Lay Chair of the Deanery of Aston & Cuddesdon 4 Vacancy Prayer ...... 4 Our Place in the World ...... 5 How we see ourselves ...... 6 A closer look at how we feel we are doing ...... 7 Vision Statement; Mission & outreach; Pastoral care ...... 8 Leadership; Worship & preaching; Stewardship & Benefice organisation……………….9 Could You be Our New Vicar? ...... 10 Supporting You ...... 11 Your Home – The Vicarage……………………………………………………….12
APPENDIX 1 The Benefice Under the Microscope ...... 13 Introduction ...... 13 Our Villages ...... 14 Our Churches ...... 18 Worship ...... 20 Organisation and Finance; 2017 Electoral Rolls; Safeguarding ...... 22 APPENDIX 2 – Services and general information ...... 23 Service pattern; 2017 Baptisms, weddings & funerals; Churchyards ...... 23 Education and other local facilities ...... 24 APPENDIX 3 – Role Description ...... 26 Section 1: Details of Post ...... 26 Section 2: Context ...... 27 Section 3: Role Purpose and Key Responsibilities ...... 29 Section 4: Benefice Summary ...... 30 Section 5: Key Contacts for the Role ...... 30 Section 6: Other...... 31
2 Welcome to the Benefice Statement from the Archdeacon of Dorchester
As you will see from this profile, this role offers an exciting opportunity to be part of this benefice’s mission and ministry as it develops in the next few years. The PCCs and churches here have thought carefully about their future direction and what they are therefore looking for in their new incumbent. These parishes work well together and are keen to appoint someone who can lead them in growing the church in this rural area.
Alongside the development of mission and ministry in this benefice, the Diocese of Oxford is also exploring a common vision of what it means to be ‘A Christ-like Church, the Church of the Beatitudes’, to be 'contemplative, compassionate, courageous' in all we attempt together. It will be important for anyone taking up a post in the diocese to be able to engage with this vision as it develops and offer their own insights, ideas and energy as appropriate in their context. These are early days, and this is an excellent opportunity to be part of a transformative process across the diocese at every level, including parish and benefice. You will see from the person specification that this vision is beginning to be part of the thinking in this benefice.
A rural multi-parish like this offers a wonderful opportunity for a fulfilling ministry that can make a real difference in the local communities and enable more people to encounter the love of God. This is a fascinating time to lead this benefice into the next stage of its spiritual journey and we look forward to welcoming someone who will help these parishes fulfil their potential.
With every blessing as you discern where God may be calling you.
Judy French Archdeacon of Dorchester
3 Introduction from the Area Dean and Lay Chair of the Deanery of Aston & Cuddesdon
We are delighted that you are exploring the possibility of coming to minister here. We are one of the larger deaneries in the Diocese of Oxford with more than 50 churches, including Dorchester Abbey. The deanery is essentially rural, but wraps around the north-east, east and south of Oxford.
Deanery Chapter and Synod are well attended, and the Chapter in particular has a strong sense of fellowship, so there is a lot of support around.
As well as this, we offer an amazing location – transport links are excellent, and the new Oxford Parkway station, just 15 minutes by car from the Vicarage, serves London with trains that take less than an hour. Oxford is, of course, on the doorstep, with all the cultural, educational, and social richness for which it is famous.
We can say with conviction that this is a lovely part of the country in which to live. The people of these parishes are immensely friendly, great fun, and have high expectations of their clergy. So there are many challenges! The church families of these villages are raring to move forward in collaboration with a new priest, who will have a deep love of God, a passion for the Gospel, and a heartfelt desire to grow churches.
Could that be you? If so, we do hope you’ll want to think about joining us.
Rev’d Emma Pennington Simon Richards Area Dean Lay Chair
Vacancy Prayer
We are very pleased that you are reading this profile. Maybe God is calling you to be our new incumbent. During the vacancy we are using this prayer written specially for us by the Rev’d Hugh Lee:
Heavenly Father, During our vacancy, give us courage and compassion, creativity and contemplation as we think about the future. Help us to be prayerful, patient and discerning in all that we do and plan that, through our work, your will for us may be made known. And we pray that, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we will find the person of your choice to be our vicar to work with us and among us for the development of our parishes and the building of your Kingdom. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Could you be the ‘vicar to work with us and among us for the development of our parishes’?
4 Our Place in the World
We think that this is a wonderful place to live, the best of all worlds. The parishes are within 7 miles of the centre of Oxford and only 4 miles from its eastern suburb of Headington. We are within striking distance of the River Thames, the Cotswolds and the Chilterns. Then further to the south are the Berkshire Downs. There is easy access to the M40 and good public transport links mean that London and Birmingham can be reached in about an hour.
Our Benefice, known to us as the Four Parishes, comprises four rural parishes in four picturesque rural villages a few miles to the north-east of the city of Oxford.
It is a short drive (under 15 minutes), from Forest Hill in the south, through Stanton St John, then on to Beckley or turning east to Horton-cum-Studley.
The Benefice is within the Deanery of Aston & Cuddesdon, the Archdeaconry of Dorchester and the Diocese of Oxford.
Each village has its own church:
St John the Baptist, Stanton St John St Nicolas, Forest Hill with Shotover The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Beckley St Barnabas, Horton-cum-Studley
5 How we see ourselves
The four parishes are geographically close, but each has a unique and distinctive character. There is more about our villages and churches in ‘The Benefice Under the Microscope’ in Appendix 1.
Across the Benefice we all share the same vision, to love and serve God in our different communities.
We have at least one service in each parish, in a variety of formats, every Sunday, except the fourth Sunday of the month. This is when we meet together in one of our churches for a Joint Benefice Service. We are constantly reviewing our service patterns to try to meet the needs of our communities.
We are all welcoming and friendly. We also have opportunities to meet together for worship for special services such as Confirmations and Ascension Day, for our quarterly Rota Meetings, and socially at our Annual Meeting.
We publish a monthly ‘Four Parishes News Magazine’, including church service times, special events, general local news, and advertisements (which sustain its costs). Ascension Day Past copies are available at: https://www.stnicolasforesthill.org/four-parishes/
Christmas service It is provided as a service to all villagers and is delivered free by local volunteers as part of our effort to support village events and to engage with Remembrance Day the wider community.
The four PCCs are working increasingly closely together and learning from each other. They collaborate in the support given to the vicar.
6 A closer look at how we feel we are doing
The following ‘SWOT’ analysis across the Benefice provides an illustration of how we feel at present and the possibilities ahead.
Strengths Weaknesses
Value the traditions of the church but Current style of worship in some open and willing to consider change services does not meet the needs of Want to work more closely together young families or people with no both spiritually and administratively church background Enjoy being together Most churches have a small Fundraising and social events involve attendance the wider village community Average age of congregation is high Music brings some additional people Day-to-day management of churches into church relies on a small number of people Finances are generally well managed Lacking consistent stewardship within a challenging financial situation schemes to attract regular funds from Always thinking of new things to do people who are interested in the and coming up with new initiatives. building rather than the worship.
Opportunities Threats
Build on contact with families who Ageing congregations and a missing bring their children for baptism generation of particularly 21-50 year Use the links with the school to run olds an after-school club Increasing governance and Use our buildings for different administrative workload discourages purposes to draw people into the volunteers church community, e.g. musical Increasing costs events, concerts The age profile of regular donors Promote all the churches and may mean that our income will churchyards as a learning resource reduce in the future for all Evangelical churches in Oxford Improve how we work, introducing offer more attraction to best financial and administrative churchgoing families. practice.
7 Vision Statement
As disciples of Christ in these Four Parishes, we believe we are called by God, to be the Body of Christ in these communities, to praise Him, to proclaim His love and purpose, and to serve Him. We will therefore:
Meet to worship and praise God in public and welcome any others to join us. Seek opportunities to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all our neighbours. Testify to God's love for all his creation, through acts of care and prayers for all. Support all those in need, both at home and overseas. Help one another through study and prayer, to learn from and to understand more of God's word and thereby deepen our love and knowledge of God. Encourage one another by prayer and conversation to seek, to recognise and to use God's gifts.
Mission and outreach
We believe that opportunity and challenge exist in equal measure. We have been partially successful in bringing younger people into the church. Families bring their children for baptism; a few young adults are confirmed each year and children are regularly involved in Family Church on two Sunday afternoons each month and Sunday morning family services.
As a Benefice we need to do all we can to work together to: Take the church out into the community beyond the Sunday services. Involve young families in worship and the life of the church. Work with people who have busy lives and struggle to find time for God. Tackle the general problem of ‘relevance’ for people. Explore how our buildings could be used for social events and for worship by other denominations.
Our biggest challenge is to reach out to young families. We also need to encourage others to get involved and to bring new skills and energy, in order to attract: Some of the missing generations particularly between 21-50, professional people and newer arrivals. Those considering retirement jobs and looking for involvement in something fulfilling. Those who are enquiring about faith and the meaning of life.
Pastoral care
We need to: Have the vicar lead in pastoral visiting. Be aware of the needs of others in the wider community.
We hope that our new vicar will work with us to involve all villagers in the life of the church.
8 Leadership
We look to our vicar, supported by our lay ministers, to lead us in spiritual matters, and take a key role in organising services, prayer and further study. The churchwardens, secretaries and treasurers, supported by their PCCs, have taken the lead in the day-to-day running, maintenance and finances of our four churches.
We need to:
Involve people to take on a leadership role in spiritual matters, for example, by leading services and small group sessions. Pull together in spreading the good news of God’s love.
Worship and preaching
During the vacancy we have chosen to maintain the existing pattern of Sunday worship and services to provide some reassurance for our congregations. This pattern (shown at Appendix 2) can be sustained because we have a number of clergy and lay people who are very willing to lead services in the benefice. All of us appreciate good versatile preaching, with engaging sermons able to address a wide age range.
We need to:
Engage more people in worship and continue to develop different forms of worship, which we hope will appeal to a wider congregation. Make sure that the worship style meets the different needs of everyone, especially younger people. Satisfy the needs of those who prefer a more traditional approach to liturgy, while ensuring that services are relevant to others.
Stewardship and Benefice organisation
The four autonomous PCCs organise the day-to-day running of their parishes under the leadership of the vicar. The annual meetings are held jointly in one location to review the previous year. A quarterly meeting is attended by the Church Wardens and members of the Ministry Team to agree the Service Rotas and do any other advance planning.
We are very conscious that we are stewards of our four churches and need to keep them in good repair. We use the income available to us (investments, fund-raising and donations) to achieve this end. We work hard to pay our parish share and achieve this in three of the four parishes. Despite this increasingly difficult situation, all our churches are currently financially sound. We also raise money to support charities beyond our Benefice.
We need to:
Consolidate the good working arrangements within the Benefice team in order to develop relationships further between PCCs and learn from each other. Enable treasurers to work closely together to understand Oxford Diocesan Board of Finance procedures, work out an equitable parish share and to plan financially for the maintenance and improvement of our church buildings.
9 Could You be Our New Vicar? We are looking for a contemplative, compassionate and courageous person who:
Is spiritual, prayerful and able to share their personal experience of how God is at work.
Has pastoral and teaching skills and will use them to help us grow as disciples and extend the kingdom of God in our communities.
Will continue to develop work with children, young people, families and our Church Primary School, conveying the Christian message to them.
Has the organisational and pastoral skills to take on board the challenges and opportunities of working with four individual village and church populations, encouraging cooperation and mutual support.
Has leadership and training skills which will enable them to encourage, develop and expand the existing lay leadership and mission of the church.
Will be comfortable with and interested in all the people of our villages, whatever their backgrounds or beliefs.
Our new Vicar will have these skills and qualities:
An understanding of and empathy with rural ministry enjoying a broad range of village activities
An ability to preach well and stimulate thought
An ability to relate sensitively and engage with people from all walks and stages of life
An enthusiasm to inspire and lead the congregations to serve God in the world
Skilled in delivering outreach to meet differing needs across multi parishes
Comfortable with modern technology
A sense of humour and a good communicator
Good organisational skills
An ability to collaborate with others
We hope that our new vicar will be an enthusiastic leader, deeply committed to the work of mission and outreach.
10 Supporting You Support of the Diocese
The Dorchester Archdeaconry works on the basis that the parish and Benefice is the key area of mission, and that the Deanery, Archdeaconry and Diocese are there to provide focus, support and resources to help meet the needs of mission locally.
Support from our Ministers
We are fortunate to have the support of several clergy and Licensed Lay Ministers, each of whom is committed to taking at least one service per month. We have an Ordinand in mixed mode training at Wycliffe Hall which involves two days a week in the Benefice supervised by the vicar; her time in the benefice includes running our newly established ‘Family Church’ in Stanton St John and Beckley village halls.
Until July 2018, we had a Curate (Rev’d David Bendor-Samuel), who started a ‘Church Without Walls’ service which he still runs on a monthly basis. A full list of the Ministry Team appears below:
Rev’d Hugh Lee Rev’d Stephanie Bullock Rev’d Dr. Elizabeth Hoare Canon Prof. Nicholas Orme LLM Betty Dye LLM Joanna Allen (Ordinand) We also have monthly lay-led evening services at Stanton St John (‘Taize’), Beckley (‘Iona’) and Forest Hill (Choral Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer). There is a small ‘Open the Book’ team run by Betty Dye LLM, which tells bible stories at fortnightly assemblies at Beckley School during term time. During the vacancy Betty Dye also leads a school assembly on the alternate weeks.
Support of the Benefice
Prayer - We will pray for you, that God will guide you and support you as you work with us
Friendship - We will offer you our friendship
Practical help - We will support you with the administration of the Benefice so that you can concentrate on the spiritual needs of the church and community.
We will also:
Encourage you to have a sensible work/life balance through days off, retreats and making time for family and friends Support you (through the Ministerial Development Review scheme) to undertake professional and self-development, including further study as appropriate Fully reimburse your agreed expenses.
11 Your Home – The Vicarage
The vicarage is in Cox Lane a short distance from the Church in Stanton St John. It is a modern four-bedroom stone-built house with pleasant sitting room, good kitchen, bathroom and separate shower room.
There is a spacious office/study area.
The kitchen, bathroom and shower room will all be refurbished by the Diocese before the new vicar is in post.
In addition to the garage, there are gardens front and back overlooking a paddock.
Distance from the Vicarage to the churches (miles)
Stanton St Forest Hill Beckley Horton-cum- John Studley
0.125 1 1.75 3
12 APPENDIX 1 The Benefice Under the Microscope Introduction
Our villages are geographically adjacent and lie to the north-east of Oxford, within 7 miles of the city centre. The combined population is around 2,000. Beckley, Forest Hill and Stanton St John are in the District Council area of South Oxfordshire and Horton-cum- Studley is in Cherwell.
The four villages are of comparable size and each has a strong identity. Networks of footpaths and bridleways connect them with each other and are a fine way to enjoy the countryside. Each village has part of its population long established over many generations, but the number of relatively recent arrivals is increasing. The ‘newcomers’ are generally professional people who commute to London, Oxford and local towns, with some working from home. There are also substantial numbers of retired people. Like most rural areas in 2018, there are fewer people working on the land; we are becoming an increasingly suburban community, but still retain a rural setting which we value greatly.
13 Our Villages
Stanton St John
Stanton St John, 4 miles to the north-east of Oxford, has a population of about 400, including residents from nearby Woodperry and Bayswater Road. Historically the village was largely owned by New College in Oxford which still retains a number of buildings. About a quarter of residents are retired and there are a number of families with young children.
At the centre of Stanton is the Village Stores, which not only operates commercially but acts as an important social focus for many of the villagers. Rectory Farm ‘Pick Your Own’ at the north end of the village also provides some employment. There are two popular pubs, one of which offers accommodation and there is also a village hall alongside the children’s playground and the Millennium Green. There is no school, but in the village The Holford Centre (formerly the primary school) now houses a privately-run nursery.
Hidden at the end of Snows Lane is Stanton House, a non-denominational Christian retreat centre run by the Stanton House Fellowship. The House runs all year, having guests to stay and rest, and small day and weekend conferences are regularly held.
Village Life
The Church is seen as playing a major part in many of the village events as both supporter and beneficiary. Many residents have lived in Stanton for decades, and there is a strong community spirit.
The recreation ground and children’s playground are much used, and the fields and woods around the village are a welcome retreat for bird-watchers and walkers alike to enjoy. The view from the Church to Stanton Great Wood stretches across the Millennium Green which provides a safe open space for all to enjoy and can be hired or used for village events, including open air worship. Stanton also boasts a first-class cricket pitch with regular matches throughout the season.
The Stanton House Fellowship entertains the village at Christmas time with their regular Carol Concert led by its Chairman and the warden. During the summer, occasional fund- raising events may also take place in the grounds.
14 Forest Hill
Forest Hill can be approached directly from the A40 Oxford to London road, but it is still very much a rural village with a population of approximately 400, residing in 233 homes. It is the only village of the four with a significant number of former council house properties. There used to be four dairy farms, but these are now all mixed arable and beef.
There is a Victorian village hall which is small but well maintained. Parish Council allotments are to be found in three different locations in the village and there is a children’s playground and sports field on the road towards Stanton St John. There is no shop, but the pub with its Thai restaurant is an important part of village life. There is a cycle path to Oxford and Wheatley alongside the A40.
The modern civil Parish of Forest Hill with Shotover was formed in 1881, when the ancient Parish of Forest Hill was linked with the extra-parochial Shotover. Shotover House lies south of the A40, but is just visible between the tall trees from St Nicolas churchyard.
Village Life
In some ways its proximity to Oxford, with the wide range of cultural and leisure opportunities on offer there, makes Forest Hill slightly less cohesive in character than the other three villages. The pub with its Thai restaurant is an important part of village life and provides a focus for some members of the village to socialise together regularly, along with their children. There are weekly keep fit classes in the village hall and a monthly Community Lunch with an average attendance of 35-40. The hall is also hired out for private events. There is a large sports field with changing rooms, but the cricket and football teams have both folded in the past year. The Gardening Club continues to function with an annual New Year quiz and there are flurries of social activity such as the village pantomime (not every year) and other one-off events.
A major annual event is ‘Daffodil Day and Antiques Roadshow’, which takes place in the grounds of Shotover House and raises funds for the church. In recent years St Nicolas Church, along with the Village Hall and the Sports & Social Club, has run an annual summer ‘Forest Hill Village Feast and Dog Show’ and a Christmas Bazaar, but the Sports & Social Club is currently struggling to find new members to join the committee
15 Beckley
Beckle y is one of the seven 'towns' of Otmoo r, an area of wetland managed by the RSPB that is a haven for wildlife and in winter provides a home to thousands of waterfowl. The main part of the village is a conservation area, with many picturesque stone houses and cottages and wonderful panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. House prices are high. The population is approximately 600, living in about 238 houses. A substantial number are active retired professionals. There is one working farm.
The highly thought of Church of England voluntary-controlled primary school has about 130 children who come from the surrounding area. There is a large new village hall at the other end of the village, next to the recreation ground which includes a tennis court and a children's play area. There is no shop, although a recently established community orchard is beginning to yield fruit. The Abingdon Arms pub was purchased in 2017 by the Beckley & Area Community Benefit Society.
Village Life
Beckley is a very sociable and friendly village where people are supportive of each other, and there is active growth of village institutions. There are various clubs and groups (e.g. art group, book group, hand-bell ringers). Much social activity takes place in the community-owned pub (e.g. monthly community coffee mornings, table games, quiz nights, literary lectures). The village hall, which is also available for outside hire, has been used for very successful events such as barn dances, the annual Burns Night dinners, exhibitions of work by the many local artists and craftspeople, and recently table tennis and fitness programmes, and some church activities.
Every two years we hold a Village Open Day (under the auspices of the PCC), with open gardens, an art exhibition in the church, and various stalls. It attracts many visitors from outside the area and is always a much-enjoyed village event. The funds raised are essential for the running of the church and have enabled us to pay our parish share.
16 Horton-cum-Studley
Horton-cum-Studley, like Beckley is one of the seven ‘towns’ of Otmoor. It has a population of about 500 (455 in the 2011 census) living in about 190 dwellings. Approximately a third are at or near retirement age; there are around 40 youngsters under 16, some of whom are at boarding schools. A wide range of incomes is represented.
Whilst the village has no pub or shop, there is a butcher who also sells locally produced seasonal vegetables. There is a large modern village hall which is used by many groups from the village and further afield. On the same site is a large sports field, a children’s play area and tennis courts.
Village Life
The Church is an integral part of the life of the village and its activities, such as the Autumn Fair and Tearfund Lunch, are well supported, not only by members and congregation, but also by many who do not attend worship and by Christians who attend other churches.
Villagers expect the church to be represented at the fête which is part of the Annual Otmoor Challenge (a competitive half-marathon which raises money for charity).
Horton-cum-Studley is an extremely sociable village with a constant calendar of family- friendly events throughout the year. Clubs include: Gardening club, Keep-fit, Tennis, Bridge, Lunch Club, G.T’s (Ladies club), and W.I. There is much interest in the arts: several artists and a novelist live in the village. There is a play-reading group and children’s drama, as well as some dramatic presentations and “fun” social occasions. There are also two golf courses nearby.
17 Our Churches Stanton St John
The Church of St John the Baptist stands on a slight hill in the centre of the village. There has been a church on this spot since the 11th century. The earliest part of the present church is the north arcade dating from about 1200. The chancel was built some hundred years later and the aisles most likely in the 14th century. The tower was built about 1450.
We have a ring of five bells, at present being restored, but normally rung for all services. We have had a recent appeal for restoration and part one has been completed, but due to a fall of masonry from the chancel we are waiting for this to be repaired before continuing with part two. We have an organist and the church is unlocked for visitors to enjoy between 9.30 am and 4 pm. The Churchyard is maintained on a weekly basis, and there is a wild flower section which is much appreciated.
Forest Hill
The earliest record of the Parish is in the Domesday Book of 1087. In 1129 the Church building was originally a quiet retreat for the Monks from Osney Abbey in Oxford. It became the Parish Church in 1273 and was dedicated to St. Nicolas. The roof of the nave is dated 1630 and the two bells, a tenor and a treble, are dated 1652. The sanctus bell is dated 1852. The North aisle was designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in the same year and built by George Wyatt of Oxford.
In 2004 a new vestry was added on the north side, providing valuable extra space, on-tap water supply, a sink and a disabled toilet. There is constant need for minor maintenance but, considering its age, the overall building is in generally good repair. The next Quinquennial Inspection is due in 2019. The church seats about 100 people, but always feels intimate and comfortable even with only a few. Members of the PCC collaborate to ensure that the church is open daily from 11am to 4pm.
18 Beckley
The beautiful Grade1 listed building dates from the 14th Century and has no additions later than 1500. It has remarkable wall paintings, including a 14th Century Doom, some interesting architectural features, and several examples of medieval stained glass. Visitors comment on its particular atmosphere of tranquillity and calm. The building was reordered in 1986, bringing the altar and communion rail westwards, very close to the nave, and there is also a Lady Chapel, giving versatile space. The church is kept open all day every day.
The Architect reported after the Quinquennial Inspection in 2017 that the general structural condition is good. There were only two urgent problems which needed attention, and these are in hand. The wall paintings have been inspected by the conservators, and some remedial work is needed. Fundraising for this has already started.
There are 5 bells, but at present they cannot be rung safely, because doing so would damage the stonework of the tower.
There is no running water or any other facilities in the church, but a tap in the churchyard, and we serve tea, coffee, and biscuits after the morning services. There is much support and affection for the church building, and villagers are keen to see it maintained and used for various activities as well as worship.
Horton-cum-Studley
St Barnabas’ Church was dedicated in 1868 and is an enchanting Grade II listed building. Designed by George Butterfield, it is often visited by tourists who have seen his work at Keble College. Built of yellow brick relieved by red and blue brick detailing, it has a nave, chancel and north aisle. St Barnabas' has no tower but there is a west bell-turret with two bells. An organ was installed in the church in 1916. The church is opened every day.
There are interesting stained-glass representations of the first vicar and his daughter, who died when she was nineteen. The First World War memorial plaque was painted by a
19 parishioner who tried to capture the likenesses of the individuals who died. The memorial was restored by a local artist who has been a churchwarden and who also designed and fitted a small window for the millennium, representing St Barnabas.
The 2017 Quinquennial Inspection reported that the general condition of St Barnabas' church remains good. However, the cast-iron rainwater goods are in poor condition and an overhaul is planned to be carried out in 2019. There is no running water or any other facilities in the church, but a tap in the churchyard, and we serve tea, coffee, and biscuits after the morning services.
Worship Stanton St John St John the Baptist offers a weekly Sunday morning service, normally using the Good News Bible and Hymns Ancient and Modern. There is an evening Taize service on the first Sunday of the month, which is well supported and attracts a differing group of worshippers from this and other parishes. In the village hall, our Ordinand Jo Allen runs a well- established Family Church and we hold a ‘Church Without Walls’, an informal time of songs and prayer, every 4th Sunday at 6pm.
The Church regards itself as fortunate enough to have a regular organist for all the services that are held. We normally have a congregation of between 9 and 16 people, although for special services this increases to above 50. The last Christmas Carol Service attracted between 70 and 100 people, and other ‘special’ services such as Harvest Festival are popular too. The Church is opened each day to visitors.
Forest Hill Our regular congregation is small. Children are very welcome at St Nicolas but we no longer have any attending on a regular basis and the few church-going people with children tend to go further afield to other denominations or to more evangelical services. There is a rota for serving refreshments after Parish Communion, whilst for other Sundays, refreshments are on a less formal basis.
We greatly value the liturgy of the Church of England and some of our services are traditional (Book of Common Prayer) but we are also inclusive and very open to new ideas. Our monthly Parish Communion service is from Common Worship and our hymn book is AMNS (Hymns Ancient & Modern New Standard). Services and events are listed on our website www.stnicolasforesthill.org.
We have a single manual pipe organ, and a regular volunteer organist, who, together with his wife, is responsible for all the music at St Nicolas. In early 2017 they formed an occasional choir with adult singers from Forest Hill and neighbouring villages. The choir is gradually attracting a wider interest, and we have recently established a monthly Choral Evensong sung by our own or visiting choirs. During 2017-2018 the St Nicolas choir led services for Advent and Christmas, Candlemas, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Easter and a Baptism. Although there is currently no children’s choir or music group, this is a matter of opportunity, not policy, and we are very open to the idea of including children in our music making.
For the past 2 years we have also held regular Sunday afternoon concerts during Lent, featuring visiting musicians, including the Choir of Lincoln College, Oxford (Patron of St Nicolas Church) who are booked again for 2019. The church has a beautiful acoustic and is very suited to small-scale music-making.
20 Beckley There has been a wonderful new development this year. Once a month on a Sunday afternoon in the village hall, we have Family Church run by Joanna Allen, our Ordinand, with activities, worship, separate talks for the adults and the children, and a light meal at the end. This is proving extremely popular and successful.
We have an evening Iona service once a month, organised and led by a lay parish group, and attended by about 20 people including about 6 teenagers who do not come to other services. Sunday morning congregations are usually fewer than 10, consisting of the 'core' of committed worshippers. We use the Revised English Bible, and the New English Hymnal or Mission Praise for hymns. During the last year, we have had a Family service on the first Sunday of each month, and this has been much enjoyed by the one child who comes regularly with her father. If there is a fifth Sunday, we have Morning Prayer, always hoping that this will appeal to people who would prefer a non-Eucharistic service.
At Christmas, our Crib service is popular, with about 35 adults and children, and at 'Carols and Claret', the church is full, with about 100 attending in 2017. The midnight Communion and Christmas Day services alternate with Horton-cum-Studley.
We have a beautiful pipe organ which was fully overhauled and refurbished in 2009. Our organist left the village last year, but thanks to the organists from the other villages, and other local people who have 'stepped into the breach', we have been able to have organ music at all services where it is needed.
The vicar has been taking assemblies at Beckley School every 2 weeks, alternating with the ‘Open the Book’ team, led by a Licensed Lay Minister who lives in Beckley. This has proved very successful. The school has services in the church at Easter, Christmas, Harvest, and at the end of the summer term. The vicar has historically been a governor of the school and we hope to maintain and develop these links.
Horton-cum-Studley
There is a committed core of worshippers who sustain a friendly congregation of around 20 people (excluding Christmas and Easter services) and we are fortunate to have at least three parishioners able to play the organ. There is a service every Sunday morning, either Parish Communion, Morning Prayer, or a Family service. Liturgy is Common Worship but there is a very wide range of churchmanship and different denominational backgrounds in the congregation. Coffee/tea are served each Sunday morning and most of the congregation stay to chat.
There is a good level of support from the wider community for special services such as Christmas, Easter, Harvest Festival and Remembrance Sunday when there are usually more than 40. The Crib Service in 2017 was attended by over 150 (of whom 50 were children) and the midnight communion, which is shared with Beckley, had over 60 present. A ‘Thanksgiving for Animals’ service on a summer Sunday afternoon has also proved popular with non-regular churchgoers and a Songs of Praise, on the same weekend as the village's annual fête, is also usually well attended.
Lay persons have been leading services of Morning Prayer, including speaking or arranging for a visiting preacher, at least 6 times a year for several years. These have included special services for Tearfund in March and Bible Sunday in October.
21 Organisation and Finance Stanton St John The Church’s finances are increasingly under pressure but thanks to covenanted support and supplementary funds from village events, we have a sustainable position. The annual turnover for income and outgoings is in the order of £15,000, for recent years. We have recently obtained initial DAC approval for a programme of maintenance and repair, for which we expect to raise a significant sum in excess of £100,000. The current project within the programme is the repairs to the Chancel ceiling.
Forest Hill Although we continue to put a great deal of effort into fundraising through village events, we have had difficulty raising enough money to pay the full Parish Share and for the past six years there has been an annual shortfall which was made up by the Deanery. However, the combination of a generous legacy, most which has been invested to yield an annual income, and a revised calculation of the share, based on more accurate figures, means that, from now on, we should be able to pay our share in full. We had an informal ‘Friends of St Nicolas’ group which organised a number of fundraising events, but this has now lapsed and we hope to start a more formal Stewardship Scheme in the near future. Due to our straitened financial circumstances, we have given very little to charity in recent years, but we initiated a Christingle with collection in aid of the Children’s Society in 2017.
Beckley We only just manage to pay our Parish Share, despite a number of regular gift-aided donations and income from our Village Open Day. We have also this year received some generous donations given specifically for the fabric of the building and have raised money by having a 'singing morning', which we plan to repeat. We have also started raising money to pay for the work to be done on our medieval wall paintings. Our Harvest Festival and Christmas collections are given to local charities. Horton-cum-Studley The total church income for 2017 was just over £22,000 whilst the total expenditure was just under £20,000, with no major expenditure on maintenance or repair. There is an active ‘Friends Scheme’ (about 20 members, some non-church goers) which has raised funds for maintenance and repair of the building. The Parish Share is fully paid and around 10% of income is given to charities. The Church also sponsors a monthly Lunch Club and celebrated a 150 year anniversary of the building of the church in 2017.
2017 Church Electoral rolls
Stanton St John Forest Hill Beckley Horton-cum-Studley 36 27 15 25
Safeguarding
Safeguarding provision is in place across the Benefice.
22 APPENDIX 2 – Services and general information Pattern of current Sunday Services (example)
St John the Baptist, St Nicolas, Forest The Assumption St Barnabas, Stanton St John Hill with Shotover of the Blessed Horton-cum- Virgin Mary, Studley Beckley Week 9.30am 11am 9.30am 11am 1 Parish Communion Parish Communion Family Service Morning Prayer 6pm 4pm Taize Family Church (Village Hall) Week 9.30am 9.30am 11am 2 Family Service at Stanton St John Parish Communion Parish Communion 6pm Choral Evensong with St Nicolas Choir Week 9.30am 11am 11am 3 Parish Communion Morning Prayer Family Service Book of Common Prayer 4pm 6pm Family Church Iona Service (Village Hall) Week 10am 4 Joint Benefice Service 6pm Church Without Walls (Village Hall) Week 9.30am 11am 9.30am 11am 5 Parish Communion Morning Prayer Morning Prayer Parish Communion
2017 Baptisms, weddings and funerals
Beckley Forest Hill Horton-cum-Studley Stanton St. John Baptisms 2 1 1 Confirmations 1 Marriages 1 1 1 Funerals 3 1 4 2 Burials 2 1 3 3 Blessings 2 Memorials 2 Churchyards
Stanton St John, The churchyard is still open for burials, and there is a Beckley, designated area for the interment of ashes Horton-cum-Studley Forest Hill The Churchyard was closed in 1882 and a new Cemetery sited on the other side of the road. The old part of this Cemetery was closed in the 1980s and is maintained by the District Council. The new part is open and maintained by the Parish Council.
23 Education and other local facilities Schools
Many children of primary school age attend Beckley Church of England voluntary controlled school https://beckleyschool.com and some proceed to the secondary school at Wheatley Park https://www.wheatleypark.org. Some of our children go to Sandhills Primary School https://sandhills.oxon.sch.uk.
There is a wide range of private Primary and Secondary schools in Oxford which many youngsters from the villages attend.
Transport
Since the demise of commercial bus services, the four local Parish Councils have subsidised a bus service (The ‘Otmoor Flyer’ ) which connects each of the four villages to Oxford, running two days each week on different days.
A frequent bus service runs between Oxford and Barton, 1.5 miles from Stanton. A large ‘Park & Ride’ provides access to the city from Thornhill, close to the Oxford ring road, and this also supports a frequent (above 4 per hour), regular, coach service to London; and less frequently to Heathrow and Gatwick.
Nearest train stations are at Oxford Parkway and Islip, with further stations at Oxford (City), Haddenham & Thame and Bicester.
Health Provision
Medical care is well catered for. The John Radcliffe Teaching Hospital has accident and emergency facilities. Other accessible hospitals include the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, the Churchill Hospital, with specialist units and a Hospice, and mental health facilities at the Warneford and Littlemore Hospitals. G.P. Surgeries are in Headington, Wheatley and Islip. NHS Dentists are available in Headington and there are dentists in private practice around the area.
The nearest pharmacy is at Barton (two miles from Stanton St John), in Wheatley (one at the Morland House surgery); in Headington, at both surgeries and at Boots; and at the Islip surgery.
Shopping
There is a range of public houses and restaurants among some of the villages but only Stanton has a village shop, which is a very good local facility. Stanton has a large Pick Your Own at Rectory Farm, selling local fresh vegetables much of the year. Most other services are found in the city or close to the ring road.
There is a wide choice of supermarkets in the locality. There are garden centres nearby and Waterperry Garden is 10 minutes’ drive away. Unfortunately, the Post Office at Stanton St John was closed a few years ago and the nearest ones now are at Risinghurst, Headington, or Wheatley.
24 Sports and Leisure Facilities
In addition to the wide range of clubs and societies in the villages, there is a sports centre at Wheatley, plus Guiding and Scouting; swimming and leisure facilities in Oxford, Kidlington, Thame and Bicester, and a swimming pool and gym at Barton. Scouts, Cubs, Guides, and Brownies operate in Headington and in Oxford city, welcoming youngsters from the villages nearby.
Oxford offers a range of cinemas and theatres, with an especially rich source of musical performances. In summer there are numerous outdoor productions. Indeed, Oxford and its nearby towns offer a wealth of cultural, commercial, sporting and historic attractions.
25 APPENDIX 3 – Role Description
Section 1: Details of Post
Role title: Vicar
Type of role: Full time stipendiary
Name of Benefice: Joint Benefice of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Beckley; St Nicolas, Forest Hill with Shotover; St Barnabas, Horton-cum-Studley; St John the Baptist, Stanton St John.
Episcopal area: Dorchester
Deanery: Aston & Cuddesdon
Archdeaconry: Dorchester
Conditions of Service: Please refer to Statements of Particulars document in conjunction with this role description.
Key contact for Clergy: Archdeacon of Dorchester
Terms of Service: This role falls within the Clergy Terms of Service formally known as Common Tenure. The Archdeacon of Dorchester is the designated person by the Bishop of Oxford to issue a Statement of Particulars for the post holder.
Accountability: Priests share with the Bishop in the oversight of the church.
Whilst, as an office holder, the individual is expected to lead and prioritise work in line with the purpose of the role, they are encouraged to inform the incumbent (in case of assistant priests) and Archdeacon and Church Warden/s (in case of incumbents) about any issues exceptional or otherwise that have the potential to affect ongoing delivery of ministry.
Additional Responsibility: N/A
26 Section 2: Context
Wider Context
The Diocese and Deanery The Diocese of Oxford serves the mission of the Church in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. As a large, complex Diocese it has a population of 2.2m covering 2,200 square miles. It is divided into 626 parishes, with 815 churches, in all types of settings from small rural villages to market towns, suburbs and urban areas, including the vastly different cities of Oxford and Milton Keynes.
The Diocese is divided into four smaller ‘episcopal Areas’, each overseen by their own Area Bishop. The Dorchester Episcopal Area, headed by the Bishop, Rt Rev’d Colin Fletcher, covers a great deal of Oxfordshire, apart from the City of Oxford, extending from the Cotswolds in the west to Henley-on-Thames. Within the Dorchester Area there are 12 deaneries including Woodstock.
Alongside the emerging diocesan vision, the priorities and principles for the Dorchester Archdeaconry are set out in the Dorchester Mission Action Plan (see https://www.oxford.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Archdeaconry-Plan- for-Dorchester-BC.SCO-15.11.pdf .
It is expected that all clergy appointed into the Archdeaconry of Dorchester will want to commit themselves to the Diocesan vision and Archdeaconry MAP and their strategic directions.
With the appointment of the new Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, in 2016, a new Common Vision is emerging for the Diocese of Oxford. The vision addresses what kind of church we are called to be – a Christ-like Church. What are the marks of a Christ-like Church? To be the Church of the Beatitudes:
● Contemplative ● Compassionate ● Courageous
It also asks what we are therefore called to do together. This is currently a work in progress, but is likely to cover some of the following strategic priorities: ● Make a difference in the world ● Support and grow the local church ● Establish new churches and congregations ● Serve our schools ● Renew discipleship and ministry
These priorities will be supported centrally by resources, training, conferences, workshops, and much more. The Diocese is inviting Benefices and their priests to share a vision rather than demanding a response. It wants all its priests to flourish in ministry and to deepen their enjoyment of God.
27 Local Context
We are a Benefice of four parishes with four churches, located at the northern tip of the Aston & Cuddesdon Deanery. We all share the same vision to love and serve God in our different communities.
28 Section 3: Role Purpose and Other Responsibilities
General: A. To exercise the cure of souls shared with the Bishop in this Benefice in collaboration with colleagues including the praying of the Daily Office, the administration of the sacraments and preaching.
B. To have regard to the calling and responsibilities of the clergy (as described in the Canons, the Ordinal, the Code of Professional Conduct for the Clergy) and other relevant legislation including: ● bringing the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and making him known to those in your care ● instructing the parishioners in the Christian faith ● preparing candidates for confirmation ● diligently visiting the parishioners of the Benefice, particularly those who are sick and infirm ● providing spiritual counsel and advice ● consulting with the parochial church councils on matters of general concern and importance to the Benefice ● bringing the needs of the world before God in intercession ● calling your hearers to repentance and declaring in Christ's name the absolution and forgiveness of their sins ● blessing people in God’s name ● preparing people for their death ● discerning and fostering the gifts of all God’s people ● being faithful in prayer, expectant and watchful for the signs of God’s presence, as He reveals His kingdom among us ∙ C. To share in the wider work of the deanery and Diocese as appropriate, for the building up of the whole Body Christ.
Key responsibilities specific to the local situation (to be discussed and agreed in line with Parish Profile, once the new incumbent is in post) ● Mission and outreach ● Leadership and working collaboratively ● Worship and preaching ● Pastoral care ● Stewardship and benefice organisation ● Personal development and spirituality
The key responsibilities listed above may be supported by long-term and short-term objectives to be agreed between the post-holder and the incumbent (in the case of an assistant priest) or the Archdeacon and Church Wardens (in the case of incumbents).
Other responsibilities ● Participate in the Bishop’s Ministerial Development Review scheme and engage in Continuing Ministerial Development. ● Carry out any other duties and responsibilities as required in line with the Benefice needs’. ● Take care for their wellbeing, including health and safety, and building a good repertoire of spiritual and psychological strategies.
29 Section 4: Benefice Summary
The Benefice of: Beckley, Forest Hill with Shotover, Horton-cum-Studley and Stanton St John
Patrons: The Bishop of Oxford Lincoln College New College
PCCs: Beckley, Forest Hill with Shotover, Horton-cum-Studley, and Stanton St. John
Churchwardens: Beckley: Georgina Robson Forest Hill: Jane Walker, Pat Fraser Horton-cum-Studley: Andrew Payne, Lynn Whitaker Stanton St. John: Sheila Pullen, Deirdre Young
Pastoral Reorganisation proposals: None
For more detailed information, please refer to the Benefice Profile.
Section 5: Key Contacts for the Role
Generic and specific to the role
Groups and committees The PCCs Deanery Chapter Deanery Synod Deanery Pastoral Committee
In the Benefice Churchwardens Head teacher Beckley Primary School Chair of various trusts
Support structures Area Dean: Rev’d Emma Pennington Archdeacon: Ven. Judy French Staff at the Diocesan Office with key responsibilities for various aspects of supporting parochial ministry Area Bishop: Rt Rev’d Colin Fletcher
30 Section 6: Other
Relevant Documentation
This role description is issued alongside and should be read in conjunction with the following documents:
The Ordinal The Canons of the Church of England Guidance for the Professional Conduct of Clergy Bishop’s Licence Statement of Particulars issued to the office‐holder on successful appointment Diocesan Clergy Handbook Benefice Profile Mission Action Plans (MAPs) Any objectives discussed and agreed between the post holder and the supervising minister
31